SCHICKSAL

Four notes that almost everyone recognises – and a symphony that still feels like a musical act of defiance.

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was written during a period of profound personal crisis. As his deafness progressed, the composer wrestled with despair and with the question of how his life could continue. Step by step, the symphony moves from the dark tension of its famous opening motif towards a triumphant C major. Fate does not have the final word; what prevails is the determination to confront it.

For the first time, this landmark work in musical history will be performed at the Casals Forum. Ensemble Resonanz and Riccardo Minasi pair it with Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1, interpreted by Nicolas Altstaedt. This work, too, breaks with convention: its movements flow directly into one another, forming a single, sweeping musical arc.

„Schicksal“ is an evening about resilience, determination and the possibility of transforming threat into new energy.